Toy gun

ABSTRACT

To avoid the situation, in which a gas pressure to be used for shooting a bullet from a loading chamber is partially lost, a toy gun in which a paint bullet charged in the loading chamber may be reliably shot with gas under a relatively low pressure is provided.  
     A gas flow control mechanism is arranged movably with respect to a movable member and forms a first gas passage for guiding the gas into the loading chamber and a second gas passage for guiding the gas to pressure receiving portions. For a period in which gas supply controllers take a gas supply state as the movable member advances, the gas flow control mechanism transfers from a state, in which the gas passage is opened whereas the gas passage is closed to supply the gas to the loading chamber through the gas passage, to a state, in which the gas passage is closed whereas the gas passage is opened to apply the gas to the pressure receiving portions through the gas passage, so that the movable member is moved back and forth thereby to make preparations for supplying the ballet P from a magazine to the loading chamber.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a toy gun, in which the shootingof bullets charged in a loading chamber and the automatic supply of theloading chamber with the bullets are caused by the action of a gaspressure and, more particularly, in which the bullets to be charged inthe loading chamber and shot are exemplified by paint containing bulletsfor discharging paint when crushed.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] In the field of a model gun called the toy gun (or air soft gun)in which a bullet is short from a barrel in accordance with theoperation of a trigger and in which a slider arranged along the barrelis moved for supplying a next bullet, there is known a toy gun, in whichthe shooting of a bullet charged in a loading chamber disposed at theback of the barrel is done by using a gas pressure and in which theautomatic supply of a bullet to the loading chamber by the movement ofthe slider is also done by using the gas pressure.

[0005] Generally in this toy gun, the grip is provided with a magazinefor holding a plurality of bullets, and an accumulation chamber forreserving gas. Each time the bullet charged in the loading chamber isshot by using the gas pressure from the accumulation chamber formed inthe grip, the gas pressure from the accumulation chamber is further usedto move the slider backward and then forward in the direction along thebarrel, so that the bullets held in the magazine disposed in the gripcan be supplied to the emptied loading chamber and shot automatically.Usually in this toy gun in which the gas pressure is used to shoot thebullet charged in the loading chamber and to supply the bullet to theloading chamber, the gas to be reserved in the accumulation chamber isexemplified by a liquefied gas under a low pressure, and the bullet tobe charged in the loading chamber is a sham one called the “BB bullet”made of plastics and having a relatively small diameter such as about 6mm.

[0006] Apart from the toy gun using the aforementioned sham bullet of adiameter of about 6 mm, on the other hand, there is also known a toygun, which uses a paint containing bullet (as will be called the “paintbullet”) having a relatively large diameter exceeding 10 mm, such asabout 17 mm and made easily crushable to discharge the paint (forexample, as referred to the non-patent publication: “Monthly MagazineGun, October”, issued on Oct. 1, 1992 by Kokusai Shuppan KabushikiGaisha, pp. 66 to 75).

[0007] In the toy gun using the paint bullet given a relatively largediameter and a relatively heavy weight by containing the paint, asdisclosed in the aforementioned non-patent publication, a gas tankcharged with carbonate gas (i.e., CO₂ gas) under a high pressure isarranged in the frame, and a magazine called the “loader” capable ofholding a plurality of paint bullets is so mounted in the rear portionof the barrel with an upward protrusion through a feeding port.

[0008] In the frame, moreover, there are arranged a movable memberformed by combining an upper bolt and a lower bolt, and a valvemechanism formed by arranging an exhaust valve movably in an air chamberformed by a cylinder member. The valve mechanism is provided with firstand second gas passages and a connection gas passage for connectingthose gas passages. When the trigger is pulled to shoot the paint bulletcharged in the rear portion of the barrel, moreover, the movable memberis advanced by the biasing force of a spring member to act on themovable member, thereby to provide the communication between the firstgas passage formed in the valve mechanism and the barrel and to move theexhaust valve from the position, at which the gas pressure from the gastank is not introduced into the connection gas passage, to the position,at which the gas pressure from the gas tank is introduced into theconnection gas passage. As a result, the gas pressure from the gas tankflows into both the first and second gas passages through the connectiongas passage. The gas pressure having entered the first gas passage isguided into the barrel so that it is used for shooting the paint bullet.

[0009] When the paint bullet is shot, moreover, the movable member,which is caused when advanced to take the position for closing a feedingport from the barrel, is retracted by the raised gas pressure comingfrom the gas tank and acting through the second gas passage formed inthe valve mechanism. As a result, the exhaust valve is moved from theposition, at which the gas pressure from the gas tank is introduced intothe connection gas passage, to the position, at which the gas pressurefrom the gas tank is not introduced into the connection gas passage, andthe feeding port and the rear portion of the barrel are made tocommunication so that one of the paint bullets held in the loader dropsby its own weight to the rear portion of the barrel through the feedingport and is charged. Each time the paint bullets charged in the rearportion of the barrel are shot, the emptied barrel is automaticallysupplied at its rear portion with a new paint bullet.

[0010] In the aforementioned toy gun in which the shooting of the paintbullet charged in the rear portion of the barrel acting substantially asthe loading chamber and the supply of the paint bullet to the rearportion of the barrel are performed by using the gas pressure, the gaspressure from the gas tank is introduced into the first gas passagethrough the connection gas passage by the movement of the exhaust valve,as caused by the forward movement of the movable member, and the gaspressure from the gas tank is also partially introduced into the secondgas passage through the connection gas passage when it is used forshooting the paint bullet. However, the introduction of the gas pressureinto the second gas passage is substantially the leakage of the gaspressure from the connection gas passage, for the time period from theintroduction start to the instant when the paint bullet is shot by thegas pressure introduced into the first gas passage, so that the gaspressure to be guided from the gas tank to the connection gas passagefor shooting the paint bullet is partially lost. In the toy gunconstructed to avoid the situation in which the gas pressure to be usedfor shooting the paint bullet might otherwise be partially lost,moreover, gas under a high pressure has to be employed, so that the gastank as the gas supply source is so charged with a high-pressure gassuch as the CO₂ gas as to ensure the shooting the paint bullet having arelatively heavy weight.

[0011] In the toy gun which is adapted to shoot the paint bullet and tosupply the paint bullet to the loading chamber by utilizing the gaspressure, therefore, it is desired to avoid the situation, in which thegas pressure to be used for shooting the paint bullet charged in theloading chamber might otherwise be partially lost. It is accordinglydesired that the paint bullet charged in the loading chamber is reliablyshot even by using the low-pressure gas. In the prior art, however,there has not been found the toy gun, which can satisfy those desired.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to providea toy gun which is adapted to shoot a paint bullet and to supply thepaint bullet to a loading chamber by utilizing gas pressure, and whichavoids the aforementioned disadvantages encountered with the prior art.

[0013] Another object of the present invention is to provide a toy gun,which can be freed from the situation that gas pressure to be used forshooting a bullet from a loading chamber might otherwise be partiallylost, when the shooting of the bullet charged in the loading chamberdisposed in a barrel and the supply of the bullet to the loading chamberare done by using the gas pressure, and which can reliably shoot a paintbullet charged in the loading chamber, even when the bullet to becharged in the loading chamber is the paint bullet having a relativelyheavy weight and when the gas to be used is exemplified by gas under alower pressure than that of CO₂ gas.

[0014] According to the first aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a toy gun comprising: a frame including a barrel, a loadingchamber formed in the barrel, a magazine for holding bullets to becharged in the loading chamber, and a trigger; a movable member arrangedwith a pressure receiving potion in the frame and made movable in afirst direction toward the loading chamber and in a second directionopposed to the first direction; a drive mechanism for moving the movablemember in the first direction in response to the operation of thetrigger; a gas supply controller connected to a gas outlet passage fortaking a gas supply state, in which gas is supplied, as the movablemember moves in the first direction; and a gas flow control mechanismarranged movably with respect to the movable member and forming a firstgas passage for guiding the gas into the loading chamber and a secondgas passage for guiding the gas to the pressure receiving portion,whereby, for a period in which the gas supply controller takes the gassupply state as the movable member moves in the first direction, the gasflow control mechanism transfers from a first state, in which the firstgas passage is opened whereas the second gas passage is closed to supplythe gas obtained in the gas outlet passage to the loading chamberthrough the first gas passage, to a second state, in which the first gaspassage is closed whereas the second gas passage is opened to apply thegas obtained in the gas outlet passage to the pressure receiving portionthrough the second gas passage, so that the movable member is moved inthe second direction thereby to make preparations for supplying theballet from the magazine to the loading chamber.

[0015] In the second aspect of the invention, paint the bullets to beheld in the magazine are paint bullets for discharging paint whencrushed.

[0016] In the toy gun thus constructed according to the invention, thegas supply controller is held in the gas supply state to supply the gasto the gas outlet passage, accordingly as the movable member moves inthe first direction to the loading chamber in accordance with theoperation of the trigger. The gas thus supplied to the gas outletpassage is guided to the loading chamber through such the first gaspassage in the gas flow control mechanism to open the first gas passageand to close the second gas passage so that it is used for shooting thebullet charged in the loading chamber. This bullet shooting, i.e., themovement of the bullet from the loading chamber lowers the gas pressurein the gas flow control mechanism. By the action of the gas flow controlmechanism accompanying the lowering of the gas pressure, the first gaspassage is changed from the open state to the closed state, and thesecond gas passage is changed from the closed state to the open state.As a result, the gas, as fed to the gas outlet passage by the movementof the movable member in the first direction to the loading chamber,acts the pressure receiving portion formed on the movable member throughthe second gas passage so that the movable member is moved in the seconddirection apart from the loading chamber, to take the state for makingpreparations for supplying the loading chamber with the bullet.

[0017] In the gas flow control mechanism, therefore, when the gas fed tothe gas outlet passage is fed to the loading chamber through the firstgas passage, the second gas passage is closed to prevent the situation,in which the gas flows into the second gas passage. As a result, thesituation, in which the gas pressure to be used for shooting the bulletcharged in the loading chamber is partially lost, is reliably avoided touse the gas supplied to the gas outlet passage, effectively for shootingthe bullet. As a result, not only in case the bullet to be supplied fromthe magazine to the loading chamber is exemplified by the paint bullethaving a relatively heavy weight but also in case the low-pressure gasis supplied from the gas supply means to the gas outlet passage, it ispossible to shoot the paint bullet reliably from the loading chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018]FIG. 1 is a sectional view presented for describing theconstruction and actions of one embodiment of a toy gun according to theinvention defined in any of claims 1 to 6;

[0019]FIG. 2 is a sectional view presented for describing theconstruction and actions of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

[0020]FIG. 3 is a sectional view presented for describing theconstruction and actions of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

[0021]FIG. 4 is a sectional view presented for describing theconstruction and actions of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

[0022]FIG. 5 is a sectional view presented for describing theconstruction and actions of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

[0023]FIG. 6 is a sectional view presented for describing theconstruction and actions of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

[0024]FIG. 7 is a sectional view presented for describing theconstruction and actions of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1; and

[0025]FIG. 8 is a sectional view presented for describing theconstruction and actions of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0026]FIG. 1 is a sectional view presented for describing theconstruction and actions of one embodiment of a toy gun according to theinvention defined in any of claims 1 to 6.

[0027] The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is provided with a barrel 2, aloading chamber 4 disposed on the rear side of the barrel 2, a magazine5, a gas chamber 8, a movable member 10, a trigger 30, and a frame 40having a grip 31. The magazine 5 is located above the loading chamber 4and enabled to hold a plurality of paint bullets P, which have arelatively large diameter of about 11 mm and which discharge paint whencrushed, for example. Moreover, the magazine 5 is provided with a bulletdischarge port 5 a, which has a diameter slightly larger than that ofthe paint bullet P held in the magazine 5 while confronting the loadingchamber 4, so that the loading chamber 4 is supplied with one paintbullet P when this paint bullet P drops by its own weight into theloading chamber 4 through the bullet discharge port 5 a.

[0028] The paint bullet P having dropped by its own weight from themagazine 5 in the loading chamber 4 takes an inlet position 4 a and aloading position 4 b ahead of the former in the loading chamber 4. Thepositioning of the paint bullet P at the inlet position 4 a in theloading chamber 4 is done by a retaining member, which has a pair ofsmall protrusions 32 (although only one is shown) and is arranged in theloading chamber 4, and a gas flow control mechanism 50, which will bedescribed hereinafter. On the other hand, the positioning of the paintbullet P at the loading position 4 b in the loading chamber 4 is done byboth an annular seal member 33, which is arranged in the loading chamber4, and the gas flow control mechanism 50.

[0029] To the gas chamber 8, there is connected a gas outlet passage 34.In this gas outlet passage 34, there is arranged a control valve 35,which is made movable in the direction along the barrel 2. The gasoutlet passage 34 is extended upward from the gas chamber 8 and has anupper opening 34 a opened in the vicinity of the loading chamber 4. Thegas outlet passage 34 is so controlled by the control valve 35 arrangedtherein that it is kept at an open state, in which it communicates withthe gas chamber 8, and at a closed state, in which its communicationwith the gas chamber 8 is blocked.

[0030] The control valve 35 includes a valve function portion 35 a heldin the gas chamber 8, and a piston portion 35 b having a coil spring 36wound thereon. The control valve 35 is biased by the coil spring 36 inthe direction to keep the gas outlet passage 34 in the closed state. Inthe piston portion 35 b of the control valve 35, moreover, there isinserted a lock member 38, which can move up and down. This lock member38 has radially enlarged upper and lower end portions, and a coil spring39 is arranged in the lower end portion. This coil spring 39 applies theupward and downward biasing forces to the lock member 38.

[0031] When the control valve 35 takes the position, at which the gasoutlet passage 34 is kept in the closed state by the valve functionportion 35 a, as shown in FIG. 1, it brings the piston portion 35 b intodownward abutment against the lower end portion of the lock member 38and blocks the upward movement of the lock member 38 against the biasingforce of the coil spring 39 thereby to keep the lock member 38 at alower position.

[0032] With the gas chamber 8, moreover, there communicates a gas supplypassage 41, to which there is connected a pipe 42 extending from theexternal gas supply source such as a gas bomb. The gas supply passage 41introduces the gas, as supplied from the external gas supply source viathe pipe 42, into the gas chamber 8.

[0033] The movable member 10 engages with a hole 11, which is so formedin the frame 40 at the back of the barrel 2 as to extend in thedirection along the barrel 2, so that it can move in the directiontoward the loading chamber 4 and in the opposite direction apart fromthe loading chamber 4. With respect to that movable member 10, moreover,the gas flow control mechanism 50 is so arranged movably in thedirection along the barrel 2 while being partially inserted in themovable member 10. To this movable member 10, on the other hand, thereis connected a drive mechanism 15 for it. This drive mechanism 15 isconstructed to include a moving member 16 engaging mechanically with themovable member 10, and a coil spring 43 extending to the outside from ahole 17 opened in the rear end portion of the moving member 16. Anengaging step 18 is formed on the lower portion of the moving member 16.

[0034] In connection with the drive mechanism 15, in the portion of theframe 40 below the hole 11, there is disposed a bottomed cylindricalguide 44, which extends in the direction along the barrel 2. A stem 45is disposed at the back of the bottomed cylindrical guide 44. In thebottom of this bottomed cylindrical guide 44, there is formed a throughhole 46, into which the piston portion 35 b of the control valve 35 ismovably inserted. The stem 45 protrudes from the rear side portion inthe frame 40 toward the bottomed cylindrical guide 44.

[0035] The moving member 16 constructing the drive mechanism 15 isinserted from its front end side into the bottomed cylindrical guide 44.Moreover, the coil spring 43 constructing the drive mechanism 15 iswound on the stem 45 formed at the frame 40 and has a portion insertedin the hole 17 formed in the moving member 16. As a result, the coilspring 43 is guided by the bottomed cylindrical guide 44 to apply such abiasing force to the moving member 16 as to move forward together withthe movable member 10.

[0036] The movable member 10 includes a cylindrical portion 12 formingits front side portion, and a bottomed cylindrical portion 13 formed toextend to the cylindrical portion 12. This cylindrical portion 12 formedsuch that the diameter of its forming internal space is made larger thanthat of the internal space formed by the bottomed cylindrical portion13, and is provided with a front end portion 12 a made relativelythicker. The bottom portion of the bottomed cylindrical portion 13 formsa first pressure receiving portion 14, on which the gas pressure fromthe gas chamber 8 is caused to act selectively. In the bottom portion ofthe bottomed cylindrical portion 13 having such first pressure receivingportion 14, there is formed a housing portion, in which there arearranged a piston plunger 20 and a coil spring 21 for applying a biasingforce on the former. The front end face of the piston plunger 20 forms asecond pressure receiving portion 22, to which the gas pressure from thegas chamber 8 is selectively applied. In short, the movable member 10 isprovided with the first pressure receiving portion 14 and the secondpressure receiving portion 22 formed on the piston plunger 20.

[0037] The gas flow control mechanism 50, as arranged movably in themovable member 10, is provided with a first gas passage 51, a second agas passage 52, and a gas passage forming portion 55 forming aconnection passage 53 for connecting the first gas passage 51 and thesecond gas passage 52. And, the gas flow control mechanism 50 is biasedin the direction toward the bottom of the bottomed cylindrical portion13 by a coil spring 47, which is arranged between the portion in the gaspassage forming portion 55 forming the second gas passage 52 and thefront end 12 a in the cylindrical portion 12 of the movable member 10.

[0038] The first gas passage 51 in the gas passage forming portion 55 isextended from the connection passage 53 toward the loading chamber 4 andis opened to the loading chamber 4. On the other hand, the second gaspassage 52 in the gas passage forming portion 55 is extended from theconnection passage 53 toward the second pressure receiving portion 22and is opened to the first and second pressure receiving portions 14 and22. The gas passage forming portion 55 has its portion forming thesecond gas passage 52 inserted slidably in the hole 11 so that it canmove in the direction along the moving direction of the movable member10, i.e., in the direction along the barrel 2. On that portion in thegas passage forming portion 55 to form the second gas passage 52, thereis mounted an annular seal member 56, which is made of an elasticmember. This annular seal member 56 abuts against the cylindrical innerwall of the bottomed cylindrical portion 13 to seal up the clearancebetween that cylindrical inner wall and the outer circumference of thatportion in the gas passage forming portion 55, which forms the secondgas passage 52.

[0039] Moreover, the gas flow control mechanism 50 is provided with amovable valve 60 including a current plate portion 57 extended in thefirst gas passage 51, and a valve function portion 58 disposed on therear end side of the current plate portion 57 and arranged in theconnection passage 53. The current plate portion 57 is constructed bymutually connecting a plurality of current plates for uniforming theflow of the gas through the first gas passage 51. A coil spring 61 isengaged with the rear side of the valve function portion 58. The movablevalve 60 thus provided with the current plate portion 57 and the valvefunction portion 58 opens/closes the first gas passage 51 and the secondgas passage 52 and is biased by the coil spring 61 in the directiontoward the loading chamber 4.

[0040] The trigger 30 is turnably attached through a pin 65 to the frame40. The trigger 30 engages at its upper end side with a coil spring 66arranged in the frame 40, so that it takes an operation startingposition, as shown in FIG. 1, when the coil spring 66 takes the longeststate, for example. On the rear side of the trigger 30, there isarranged a plate-shaped portion 68, which is selectively connected tothe moving member 16 through a connection member 67. The plate-shapedportion 68 is turnably attached to the trigger 30 through a pin 69 andis biased in the direction to protrude to the outside from the rear endof the trigger 30 by the spring member (although not shown) wound on thepin 69.

[0041] The connection member 67 is provided with a front abutmentportion 67 a for abutting selectively against the plate-shaped portion68, and a rear abutment portion 67 b for abutting selectively againstthe engaging step 18 formed on the moving member 16. The connectionmember 67 is further provided at its central portion with a slot 67 c,in which a pin 70 mounted in the frame 40 is inserted. To the front sideof the connection member 67, there is connected to the other end of acoil spring 71, one end of which is connected to the frame 40. This coilspring 71 applies such a biasing force to the connection member 67 asturns it in the counter-clockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 1.Therefore, the connection member 67 can be displaced within such a rangeby the biasing force of the coil spring 71 as is defined by the slot 67c having the pin 70 inserted therein. Although not shown, the frame 40is provided with a stopper member for regulating the displacement of theconnection member 67.

[0042] In the embodiment of the toy gun thus constructed according toany of claims 1 to 5, when the trigger 30 takes the operation startingposition, as shown in FIG. 1, the control valve 35 is caused by thebiasing force of the coil spring 36 to take the position, at which itcloses the gas outlet passage 34 to block the gas flow from the gaschamber 8 to the gas outlet passage 34, thereby to keep the lock member38 at the lower position. Moreover, the plate-shaped portion 68 comesupward into abutment against the front abutment portion 67 a of theconnection member 67 thereby to regulate the turn of the connectionmember 67 according to the biasing force of the coil spring 71.

[0043] At this time, the connection member 67 brings its rear abutmentportion 67 b into abutment against the engaging step 18 formed on themoving member 16, so that the moving member 16 may take a referenceposition, at which the movable member 10 is at the back of the upper endportion of the lock member 38 to take the lower position, and may keepan initial position, at which the front end of the moving member 16 isslightly inserted into the bottomed cylindrical guide 44. When themovable member 10 takes such reference position, the piston plunger 20takes a forward position according to the biasing force of the coilspring 21, and abuts against the rear end of the gas passage formingportion 55 in the gas flow control mechanism 50. With the state in whichthe opening of the second gas passage 52 is closed by the secondpressure receiving portion 22, therefore, the gas passage formingportion 55 is caused to keep the position slightly spaced from the firstpressure receiving portion 14. The gas passage forming portion 55 thusplaced at the position slightly spaced from the first pressure receivingportion 14 positions its portion forming the first gas passage 51, abovethe upper opening 34 a of the gas outlet passage 34.

[0044] When the movable member 10 takes the reference position,moreover, the movable valve 60 of the gas flow control mechanism 50takes the forward position according to the biasing force of the coilspring 61. As a result, the valve function portion 58 in the movablevalve 60 takes the position, at which it brings the first gas passage 51into the closed state to block the communication between itself and theconnection passage 53, and at which it brings the second gas passage 52into the open state to communicate with the connection passage 53.Accordingly, the current plate portion 57 of the movable valve 60 takesthe position, at which its leading end is protruded from the first gaspassage 51 into the inlet position 4a of the loading chamber 4. Thepaint bullet P having dropped by its own weight from the magazine 5 intothe loading chamber 4 is positioned at the inlet position 4 a of theloading chamber 4 by the abutment against the leading end of the currentplate portion 57 from the rear side and by the abutments against thepaired small protrusions 32 from the left and right sides.

[0045] When the paint bullet P is thus positioned at the inlet position4a of the loading chamber 4, the trigger 30 is pulled to turn on the pin65 while compressing the coil spring 66 so that it goes from theoperation starting position, as shown in FIG. 1, to an operationcompleting position, as shown in FIG. 2. Accordingly, the connectionmember 67 engaging with the trigger 30 through the plate-shaped portion68 is turned in the direction against the biasing force of the coilspring 71. As a result, the rear abutment portion 67 b of the connectionmember 67 comes out of engagement with the engagement step 18 formed onthe moving member 16, so that the moving member 16 starts its forwardmovement according to the biasing force of the coil spring 43. Themoving member 16 thus moving forward moves (or advances) the movablemember 10 connected mechanically thereto toward the loading chamber 4while the front end 12 a of the cylindrical portion 12 being caused topass over the lock member 38 taking the lower position, thereby to drivethe movable member 10. And, the moving member 16 proceeds in thebottomed cylindrical guide 44 toward the control valve 35.

[0046] As the movable member 10 advances, the gas flow control mechanism50 closes the bullet discharge port 5 a of the magazine 5 with thatportion of the gas passage forming portion 55, which forms the first gaspassage 51, and transfers the paint bullet P in abutment against thecurrent plate portion 57 of the movable valve 60, in the loading chamber4 from the inlet position 4a to the loading position 4 b while ridingover the small protrusions 32.

[0047] The advancing movable member 10 stops its movement toward theloading chamber 4 when the front end 12 a of the cylindrical portion 12abuts against the abutment portion 72 formed at the frame 40, as shownin FIG. 3. At this time, the moving member 16 collides against thepiston portion 35 b of the control valve 35 from the rear side therebyto move the control valve 35 in the direction against the biasing forceof the coil spring 36. As a result, the gas outlet passage 34 istransferred from the closed state, in which its communication with thegas chamber 8 is blocked by the valve function portion 35 a of thecontrol valve 35, to the open state, in which it communicates with thegas chamber 8. In accordance with this movement of the control valve 35from the closed state to the open state of the gas outlet passage 34,the lock member 38 is released from the state, in which it is kept atthe lower position by the piston portion 35 b, so that it is lifted bythe biasing force of the coil spring 39 from the lower position to anupper position, at which its upper end abuts against the lower portionof the movable member 10.

[0048] The moving member 16 having stopped the movable member 10 bybringing it into abutment against an abutment portion 72 formed on theframe 40 abuts at its front end against the piston portion 35 b of thecontrol valve 35 at the position, it is spaced by a predetermineddistance from the through hole 46 in the bottomed cylindrical guideportion 44, to hold the control valve 35 at a position to open the gasoutlet passage 34 thereby to establish the gas flow from the gas chamber8 to the gas outlet passage 34. As a result, the piston portion 35 babuts against the lower end of the lock member 38 taking the upperposition, from its rear side.

[0049] When the movable member 10 stops its movement toward the loadingchamber 4, moreover, the paint bullet P transferred by the gas flowcontrol mechanism 50 comes into abutment against the annular seal member33 disposed in the loading chamber 4, and is positioned at the loadingposition 4 b in the loading chamber 4 by the annular seal member 33 andthe gas flow control mechanism 50. The paint bullet P abutting againstthe annular seal member 33 applies a pushing force in the directionagainst the biasing force of the coil spring 61 to the movable valve 60,and applies a pushing force in the direction against the biasing forceof the coil spring 21 for bringing the piston plunger 20 into theforward position, to the gas passage forming portion 55.

[0050] As a result, the movable valve 60 takes the position, at whichthe first gas passage 51 is opened by its valve function portion 58 tocommunicate with the connection passage 53, and at which the second gaspassage 52 is closed to block the communication with the connectionpassage 53, as shown in FIG. 3. Moreover, the gas passage formingportion 55 causes the piston plunger 20 to take a retracted positionagainst the biasing force of the coil spring 21 thereby to bring itsrear end into abutment against the first and second pressure receivingportions 14 and 22. As a result, the opening of the second gas passage52 is continuously closed by the second pressure receiving portion 22.Moreover, the connection passage 53 in the gas passage forming portion55 is caused to communicate with the gas outlet passage 34 through theupper opening 34 a.

[0051] On the other hand, the connection member 67 having the rearabutment portion 67 b disengaged from the engaging step 18 formed on themoving member 16 is displaced by the biasing force of the coil spring 71so that it is regulated by the not-shown stopper member at the position,where it contacts with neither the plate-shaped portion 68 nor themoving member 16, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0052] The gas outlet passage 34, as opened by the control valve 35, issupplied from the gas chamber 8 with the gas, which is introduced fromthe external gas supply source. Specifically, the gas chamber 8, thecontrol valve 35, the coil spring 36, the lock member 38, the coilspring 39 and so on construct a gas supply controller for supplying thegas outlet passage 34 with the gas as the movable member 10 moves towardthe loading chamber 4. And, the gas, as supplied to the gas outletpassage 34 from the gas chamber 8, abruptly flows into the connectionpassage 53, which is made to communicate with the gas outlet passage 34,in the gas flow control mechanism 50. The gas thus having abruptly flowninto the connection passage 53 is guided to the loading position 4 b ofthe loading chamber 4 through the first gas passage 51 opened by thevalve function portion 58 of the movable valve 60. As a result, the highgas pressure from the gas chamber 8 acts on the paint bullet P abuttingagainst the annular seal member 33 so that the paint bullet P is somoved by the action of the gas pressure as to ride over the annular sealmember 33 from the loading chamber 4 to the front of the annular sealmember 33, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0053] The paint bullet P, as moved from the loading chamber 4 into thebarrel 2 located in the front, is accelerated toward the leading end ofthe barrel 2 while receiving the gas pressure from the back. Thus, thepaint bullet P is moved from the loading chamber 4 into the barrel 2 onthe front side of the former and is accelerated in the barrel 2 towardthe leading end of the same. Accordingly as the space in the barrel 2 atthe back of the paint bullet P abruptly expands, the gas pressure in theloading chamber 4 and in the first gas passage 51 of the gas flowcontrol mechanism 50 drops. As the gas pressure in the first gas passage51 thus drops, the movable valve 60 is advanced in the gas flow controlmechanism 50 by the biasing force of the coil spring 61. As a result, bythe valve function portion 58 of the movable valve 60, the first gaspassage 51 is closed to block its communication with the connectionpassage 53, and the second gas passage 52 is opened to communicate withthe connection passage 53, as shown in FIG. 4. As the gas pressure inthe first gas passage 51 thus drops, the paint bullet P having moved inthe barrel 2 is shot from the leading end of the barrel 2 till themovable valve 60 is caused by its valve function portion 58 to take theposition, at which the first gas passage 51 is closed and at which thesecond gas passage 52 is opened.

[0054] In the gas flow control mechanism 50, as has been describedabove, the first gas passage 51 is closed, but the second gas passage 52is opened. As a result, the gas outlet passage 34 is held in the stateto communicate with the second gas passage 52 through the connectionpassage 53. Then, the gas from the gas chamber 8 through the connectionpassage 53 and the second gas passage 52 applies its high pressure tothe second pressure receiving portion 22 for closing the opening of thesecond gas passage 52. This high gas pressure to act on the secondpressure receiving portion 22 retracts the movable member 10 against thebiasing force of the coil spring 43, as accompanied by the moving member16 connected mechanically to the movable member 10. As a result, apressure chamber 80 of a variable capacity is formed between the firstand second pressure receiving portions 14 and 22 and the gas flowcontrol mechanism 50, as shown in FIG. 5, the gas from the gas chamber 8through the connection passage 53 and the second gas passage 52 appliesits high gas pressure not only to the second pressure receiving portion22 but also the first pressure receiving portion 14. Thus, the movablemember 10 to receive the high pressure of the gas through the second gaspassage 52 at the first and second pressure receiving portions 14 and 22is abruptly retracted while expanding the pressure chamber 80.

[0055] At this time, the piston plunger 20 having the second pressurereceiving portion 22 is enabled to move from the retracted position tothe forward position according to the biasing force of the coil spring21, because the pressure chamber 80 of the variable capacity is formedbetween the second pressure receiving portion 22 and the gas flowcontrol mechanism 50.

[0056] According to the retraction of the movable member 10 by theaction of the gas pressure, the moving member 16 connected mechanicallyto the movable member 10 is spaced backward from the piston portion 35 bof the control valve 35, as shown in FIG. 5. As a result, the controlvalve 35 starts its movement according to the biasing force of the coilspring 36, but this movement is instantly stopped by the abutment of thepiston portion 35 b of the control valve 35 from the front side againstthe lower end of the lock member 38 taking the upper position. As aresult, there is continuously kept the state, in which the valvefunction portion 35 a of the control valve 35 holds the gas outletpassage 34 in the open state.

[0057] The movable member 10, as caused to continue the retractiontogether with the moving member 16 by the action of the gas pressurefrom the gas chamber 8, brings the moving member 16 into abutmentagainst the rear abutment portion 67 b of the connection member 67, asshown in FIG. 6, and pushes the lock member 38 taking the upper positionin the direction against the biasing force of the coil spring 39 by thefront end 12 a of the cylindrical portion 12 thereby to move the samefrom the upper position to the lower position.

[0058] When the lock member 38 is moved from the upper position to thelower position, the control valve 35 is moved by the biasing force ofthe coil spring 36 to return from the state, in which the valve functionportion 35 a opens the gas outlet passage 34 to communicate with the gaschamber 8, to the state, in which the valve function portion 35 a closesthe gas outlet passage 34 to block the communication with the gaschamber 8. As a result, the flow of the gas from the gas chamber 8 intothe gas inlet passage 34 is stopped. The piston portion 35 b of thecontrol valve 35 having closed the gas outlet passage 34 abuts againstthe lower end of the lock member 38 having reached the lower position,from the upper side, thereby to keep the lock member 38 at the lowerposition.

[0059] Even if the gas outlet passage 34 is thus closed by the controlvalve 35 thereby to stop the supply of the gas from the gas chamber 8 tothe pressure chamber 80 of the variable capacity, the movable member 10continues its further retraction by its inertia. Just before the movablemember 10 moving together with the moving member 16 reaches the mostretracted position, at which it stops the retraction while abuttingagainst the rear end of the frame 40, as shown in FIG. 7, that portionof the gas passage forming portion 55, which forms the second gaspassage 52, comes out of engagement with the bottomed cylindricalportion 13 so that the gas flow control mechanism 50 is retracted as awhole together with the movable member 10 moving toward the mostretracted position.

[0060] As a result, the sealing property of the pressure chamber 80 bythe annular seal member 56 is lost so that the gas residing in thepressure chamber 80 and the gas residing in the second gas passage 52are released to the atmosphere through a clearance 81 formed between thecylindrical portion 12 and that portion of the gas passage formingportion 55, which forms the second gas passage 52. The release of thegas residing in the second gas passage 52 to the atmosphere is also madethrough the connection passage 53, which is released from the mutualcommunication with the gas outlet passage 34. Moreover, that portion ofthe gas passage forming portion 55, which forms the first gas passage51, is positioned above the upper opening 34 a of the gas outlet passage34.

[0061] Thus, the movable member 10, which has reached the most retractedposition after the gas residing in the gas flow control mechanism 50 andthe gas residing in the movable member 10 were released to theatmosphere, instantly turns together with the moving member 16 or thelike to the state, in which it is advanced to the reference position bythe biasing force of the coil spring 43, and the gas flow controlmechanism 50 is retracted by the biasing force of the coil spring 47.The retraction of the gas flow control mechanism 50 by the biasing forceof the coil spring 47 is stopped, as shown in FIG. 8, by the abutment ofthe rear end of the gas passage forming portion 55 against the pistonplunger 20 taking the forward position. In this situation, the openingof the second gas passage 52 in the gas passage forming portion 55 isclosed by the second pressure receiving portion 22, and that portion ofthe gas passage forming portion 55, which forms the first gas passage51, is positioned at the back of the loading chamber 4, thereby to causethe bullet discharge port 5 a of the magazine 5 to communicate with theinlet position 4 a in the loading chamber 4. As a result, the paintbullet P drops from the magazine 5 into the inlet position 4 a in theloading chamber 4. The paint bullet P having dropped to the inletposition 4 a is positioned by the current plate portion 57 in themovable valve 60 abutting the back of the paint bullet P and by thepaired small protrusions 32.

[0062] The advance of the moving member 16 by the biasing force of thecoil spring 43 is stopped, as shown in FIG. 8, when the moving member 16is regulated in position by the connecting member 67 after the engagingstep 18 formed on the moving member 16 abutted against the rear abutmentportion 67 b of the connection member 67 from the rear side and advancedthe connection member 67 within the range defined by the slot 67 c andthe pin 70. When the moving member 16 is regulated in position by theconnection member 67, the movable member 10 is placed at the referenceposition which is at the back of the upper end portion of the lockmember 38 taking the lower position, and the moving member 16 is placedat the initial position, in which its front end portion is slightlyinserted into the bottomed cylindrical guide portion 44. Moreover, theconnection member 67 for regulating the position of the moving member 16pushes the plate-shaped portion 68 formed on the trigger 30, with itsfront abutment portion 67 a from the rear side thereby to turn theplate-shaped portion 68 in the direction against the biasing force ofthe not-shown spring member.

[0063] When the trigger 30 is released in this state from its pullingoperation, the coil spring 66 returns from the compressed state to thelongest state. As shown in FIG. 1, the trigger 30 is accordingly causedto return to the operation starting position, and the plate-shapedportion 68 displaces the connection member 67 while being turned in thedirection according to the biasing force of the spring member actingthereon, and abuts against the front abutment portion 67 a of theconnection member 67 from the lower side thereby to regulate the turn ofthe connection member 67 in the direction according to the biasing forceof the coil spring 71.

[0064] Thus, the connection member 67 is held in the state to regulatethe position of the moving member 16, by bringing the plate-shapedportion 68 into abutment from its lower side against the front abutmentportion 67 a while being regulated in the turn in the directionaccording to the biasing force of the coil spring 71, and by bringingthe rear abutment portion 67 b into abutment against the engaging step18 formed at the moving member 16 taking the initial position. When thetrigger 30 taking the operation starting position is pulled again inthat state, the paint bullet P is shot from the loading chamber 4, ashas been described hereinbefore, and is subsequently supplied to theloading chamber 4.

[0065] The embodiment of the toy gun provided with the gas flow controlmechanism 50, as has been described hereinbefore, is freed from thefollowing situation. When the paint bullet P is to be shot from theloading chamber 4, the second gas passage 52 in the gas flow controlmechanism 50 is closed so that the gas pressure from the gas chamber 8leading to the gas outlet passage 34 is not guided to the second gaspassage 52. Therefore, there is reliably avoided the situation, in whichthe gas pressure to be used for shooting the paint bullet P from theloading chamber 4 might otherwise be partially lost. Therefore, the gaspressure from the gas chamber 8 is effectively applied to the paintbullet P charged in the loading chamber 4 so that the paint bullet P canbe reliably shot from the loading chamber 4 even in case the gas to besupplied from the gas chamber 8 to the gas outlet passage 34 isexemplified by a low-pressure gas such as a liquefied gas.

[0066] Thus, the toy gun according to the invention specified in theClaims, as exemplified by the toy gun according to the invention ofclaim 6, may also be constructed by providing an accumulation chamber 8′to be charged with a low-pressure liquefied gas in the frame 40, inplace of the gas chamber 8 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 8,so that the gas supply control means may include the accumulationchamber 8′ to be charged with the low-pressure liquefied gas, in placeof the gas chamber 8.

[0067] Moreover, the gas flow control mechanism 50 is constructed toinclude the gas passage forming portion 55 arranged movably in themovable member 10, and the movable valve 60 arranged movably in the gaspassage forming portion 55, and is not assembled directly with the frame40. Therefore, the gas flow control mechanism 50 makes the toy gunhaving itself, simple in construction and easy in assembly.

[0068] In the toy gun thus constructed according to the invention, asapparent from the gas supply controller is held in the gas supply stateto supply the gas to the gas outlet passage, accordingly as the movablemember moves in the first direction to the loading chamber in accordancewith the operation of the trigger, and the gas thus supplied to the gasoutlet passage is guided to the loading chamber through such the firstgas passage in the gas flow control mechanism to open the first gaspassage and to close the second gas passage so that it is used forshooting the bullet charged in the loading chamber. This movement of thebullet from the loading chamber lowers the gas pressure in the gas flowcontrol mechanism. By the action of the gas flow control mechanismaccompanying the lowering of the gas pressure, the first gas passage ischanged from the open state to the closed state, and the second gaspassage is changed from the closed state to the open state. As a result,the gas, as fed to the gas outlet passage by the movement of the movablemember in the first direction to the loading chamber, acts the pressurereceiving portion formed on the movable member through the second gaspassage so that the movable member is moved in the second directionapart from the loading chamber, to take the state for makingpreparations for supplying the loading chamber with the bullet.

[0069] In the gas flow control mechanism, therefore, when the gas fed tothe gas outlet passage is fed to the loading chamber through the firstgas passage, the second gas passage is closed to prevent the situation,in which the gas flows into the second gas passage. As a result, thesituation, in which the gas pressure to be used for shooting the bulletcharged in the loading chamber is partially lost, is reliably avoided touse the gas supplied to the gas outlet passage, effectively for shootingthe bullet. As a result, not only in case the bullet to be supplied fromthe magazine to the loading chamber is exemplified by the paint bullethaving a relatively heavy weight but also in case the low-pressure gasis supplied from the gas supply means to the gas outlet passage, it ispossible to shoot the paint bullet reliably from the loading chamber.

What is claimed is:
 1. A toy gun comprising: a frame including a barrel,a loading chamber formed in said barrel, a magazine for holding bulletsto be charged in said loading chamber, and a trigger; a movable memberarranged with a pressure receiving portion in said frame and mademovable in a first direction toward said loading chamber and in a seconddirection opposed to the first direction; a drive mechanism for movingsaid movable member in said first direction in response to the operationof said trigger; a gas supply controller connected to a gas outletpassage for taking a gas supply state, in which gas is supplied, as saidmovable member moves in said first direction; and a gas flow controlmechanism arranged movably with respect to said movable member andforming a first gas passage for guiding the gas into said loadingchamber and a second gas passage for guiding the gas to said pressurereceiving portion, whereby, for a period in which said gas supplycontroller takes said gas supply state as said movable member moves insaid first direction, said gas flow control mechanism transfers from afirst state, in which said first gas passage is opened whereas saidsecond gas passage is closed to supply the gas obtained in said gasoutlet passage to said loading chamber through said first gas passage,to a second state, in which said first gas passage is closed whereassaid second gas passage is opened to apply the gas obtained in said gasoutlet passage to said pressure receiving portion through said secondgas passage, so that said movable member is moved in said seconddirection thereby to make preparations for supplying the ballet fromsaid magazine to said loading chamber.
 2. A toy gun according to claim1, wherein the bullets to be held in the magazine are paint containingbullets for discharging paint when crushed.
 3. A toy gun according toclaim 1, wherein the movable member moves in the second direction whileforming a variable capacity pressure chamber between the pressurereceiving portion and the gas flow control mechanism.
 4. A toy gunaccording to claim 1, wherein the gas flow control mechanism isconstructed to include: a gas passage forming member for forming thefirst gas passage and the second gas passage; and a movable valvearranged movably in said gas passage forming member for takingselectively a position to open said first gas passage and to close saidsecond gas passage and a position to close said first gas passage and toopen said second gas passage.
 5. A toy gun according to claim 1, whereinthe gas supply controller includes: a gas chamber, into which the gasfrom the outside is introduced; and a control valve for taking,selectively according to the position of the movable member, a closedstate to block the gas flow from said gas chamber to the gas outletpassage and an open state to establish the gas flow from said gaschamber to said gas outlet passage.
 6. A toy gun according to claim 1,wherein said gas supply controller includes: an accumulation chamber forreserving the gas charged; and a control valve for taking, selectivelyaccording to the position of the movable member, a closed state to blockthe gas flow from said accumulation chamber to the gas outlet passageand an open state to establish the gas flow from said accumulationchamber to said gas outlet passage.